, 1887-12-15

count of mine in any shape or form, as the
books of the bank will show. i thihk ne
n lid the bank considerable amount %
money the next day. had no purpose IN
this Transaction"
The second note was In ciphers and lIar
per said IL related to the same transaction
The third note he explained by saying that
Wiltshire told him he had to pay for Toto
| wheat.
"He wanted me- said Harper. ito fur
| nish money for this purpose, and refused
II said would be sorry. advised nm
to sell May wheat and buy June and pay
the difference. He asked me To- make
memorandum of IA telegram to that effect
saying please change that May wheat.
have not provided Tor June and July
My principal has decided, ect. MIR. Will
| shire represented to me that he was buying
largely for Cleveland parties, and that
what supposed he referred to in the words
| my principal y.
Witness then asked permission to explain
the check Of Wilshire's for 500, 900 given
| in October, but was stopped by the court
| II was then asked ii it was given for a
wheat deal. He answered no. that 1t was
given to pay bonds which Wiltshire had
hypotheCated without authority. Here
the court stopped him, and cautioned HIM
not to answer questions, and not go into lr-
revelant matters, but he again told that
Wiltshire had gone to Cleveland to get help
from his brother-in-law, and had come
back with nothing, and later that Wiltshire
ad mortgsged property for SliO 600 aud
Z planned to him that he did so as to make
guod that sum of money sunk by him in
wheat, and taken from his fathers estate.
Lewis's note at wlshire's sugges.
ton, and after again denying that a
dollar Of the banks money or his
went into the wheat deal, went on
.,lI 4, a,,I hnu n mr.
Hopkins followed him to Boman's where
he dined, and with tears In their eyes beg
ged him to let them have more money. He
had refused Wiltshire that morning. Hop
kins suggested telegraphing to the bank in
Chicago to see how much they would take
to carry the deal through. Hopkins sent
sucn telegram to the American Exchange
bank at Chicago. When witness returned
from dinner he found telegram on his
desk from that bank, saying II Wiltshire was
there next morning with 5000, 900 1t would
be safe. That was where kcrshaw Co.,
had their account. He told how Wiltshire,
Hopkins and he talked the matter over and
decided it would save the bank. Hopkins
had letter of credit drawn for $500, 600 amp
four drafts on the Chemical bank of New
York for $l0o, 900. Wiltshire was afraid to
carry the money, lest it be attached and it
was arranged that Gahr should go with
him. Gahr was instructed not to give up
the money without a guarantee. Next
morning he repeated this warning by tele-
gram aud was answered it was too late. He
then stopped payment ON the drafts.
He became affected at this point ard
went on to say how he put all his money
into the bank to save it, only to see the
other directors walk in and check theirs
out. Only Zimmerman, OF the directors,
offered any assistance. Then the govern
ment came in and the end was reached.
Counsel next asked in detail whether he
had ever ordered any wheat transaction
with various brokers in Chic go, naming
Ihem and he returned the same answer.
In February, 1887, he had a conversation
with Hopkins about the Irwin, Green IL
ro., matter, and told him he thought
L was dishonest. About the $3.50, 900
with the Fidelity bank he had
10 knowledge whatever until told of it in
all at Dayton. Hopkins had transactions
through Hoyt, Kershaw IL Co, and he was
ryiny to hedge against Wiltshire.
81 loaned money to Hopkins" said WIT
less, 'and paid drafts for him, but used my
,wn money, and never took Il penny out OF
he banks funds for this purpose. Hop
nd helped him. This was paid back and
he money went into the bank. This also
vas hedging operation"
Witness was then examined as to
he assets OF the iron and steel
works, Riverside rolling mill, and the
run " is' ~ N SDs 'HiIt pi i''i1S''t
nd said all the transactions of these trims
nd companies with the Fidelity bank were
egitimate. MIR. Blackburn again asked
lin If he had anything to do with the Hop
Tins wheat deals through Broker Hoyt. He
answered shat he paid Hopkins drafts, but
lie did it to protect the bank.
" was Interested through Hopkins to
hat extent. We would protect the inter
sts OF tbe bank and after that if there was
ny profit left it was to be divided between
hopkins and myself"
Mr.. Blackburn asked: "Did you at any
ime have any intention in all these trans
ctions to detraud the bank"
None in the world" was the answer.
The cross examination was brief. 1t
rought out the fact that he purchased
ertiticate of deposit with his own checks,
which were not charged to his account.
Two or three other with esses were called |
mainly to tell about Harpers's assets, but
he government counsel dismissed some OF
hem without cross examination, or by
rawing from them some damaging testi-
nony.